Metal post for wire fences.



No. 687,093; Patenfad nov. le. Ism.

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(Application led June 6, 1901.)`

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES- PATENT OEErCE.

EZ-EKIEL WHEELER, o E KINGEISEER, oKLAHoMArERRIToEY;

METAL POST F'OR WIRE FENCES.

srEcrrrcArroN forming part of Letters Patent No. 687,093, dated November' 1e, 1901.

` Application filed J' une 6 1901. .Serial No. 63,359. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,- EZAEKIEL WHEELER, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Kingfisher, in the county of Kingfisher, Territory of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metal Posts for Wire Fences, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention is directed to a construction of metal fence-post and the way in which it is erected in the post-hole, whereby the cost to the farmer inerecting a wire fence is greatly lessened, the work readily done, and the fence rendered durable.

The features of construction which embody what is new will be specifically set out in the claim appended hereto, in connection with the accompanying drawings, in whiche- Figure 1 shows a panel of a wire fence as it is erected with metal posts in accordance with my improvement. Fig. 2 shows one of the metal posts in perspective. Fig. 3 shows enlarged, in side view, one ofthe met-a1 posts and the provision whereby it is centered and held erect in the post-hole preparatory to filling the holewith cement. Fig. 4 shows the lower part of one of the metal posts as it is first centered erect in the post-hole and then secured by cement in a plastic condition. Fig. 5 shows views of the way in which the linewire is secured to the post and how the wires with their barbsmay, in being stretched, be drawn through the post. Fig. 6 shows the centering stand-block for the post, having a circular mortise. Fig. 7 is a stand-block having a rectangular mortise.

In erecting the fence the post-holes are rst dug each of equal depth and of a width to contain a body of cementthat will harden in the post-hole around the post. I For this purpose the post l may be held central inthe hole by hand while filling in the cement or be driven in the bottom of the hole; but I prefer to use a centering stand-block 2, laid in the bottom of the post-hole, and to center the post by seating its pointed end into a mortise 3 in the block, which thereby serves also to hold the post in a vertical position preparatory to filling the post-hole with cement 4, so that the post when set has a true and rm mounting. In this way a line of metal posts can be erected quickly and in a short time become rmly planted ready to receive the Aline-wires. I find the less expensive Louisville cement mixed with sand and filling the post-h ole with a body of considerable thickness around the tering stand-block, whereby the post is both centered and held erect in the post-hole at a depth therein of about two and one-half feet. This tapered part has a mortise 5 in its flat side, and when the post-hole is filled with ce` ment it runs through this mortise just below the surface of the ground, and becoming set and hard forms a bar through the post and locks it to the center of the cement body. This cement bar in its lockingfunction on the post is reinforced by the interlocking of the point of the post with the centering standblock, and the cement embedded at these two points is a very advantageous feature of my improvement, because it enhances the rm vsetting of the post.k The line of posts being thus erected and firmly set, the line-wires 6 are strung and stretched along the edges of the posts from one end of the line to the other and then engaged with each post. For this purpose each post is formed with mortises 7, corresponding with the number of line-wires. Mediately of their length these mortises are intersected by slits 8, made obliquely across the edge of the post, so that theline-wires being inserted through these oblique slits are `by reason of the oblique standing ofthe'edge slits to the horizontal wires prevented from working out of the mortises. The Amortises stand vertically along the edge ofthe post, and the inner wall 9 of the mortise below the oblique edge slit may be oblique inward from the bottom of the mortise to the slit. The effect of this inclined wall is to hold the linewire down on the bottom of the mortise, as in IOO Fig. 3. The inner wall 10 of the mortise'above the oblique slit may also extend obliquely upv 1l on the line-wires to be drawn through the posts in the event of the barbs being near the posts when stretching the wires, as in Fig. 1,

or. should the slack inthe wires be sufficient to draw the barbs from one side of the post to the other in tightening the wire. While the oblong form of the mortise facilitates the passage of two pronged barbs through it, as in Fig. 5, a groove 12 may be formed across the back Wall of the mortise opposite the oblique slit to facilitate the passage throu ghit of barbs havinga greater number of prongs, as seen in said gure. This provision for drawing the barbs through the post avoids the difficulty and trouble of pulling the wires from their connection with the post, as it would be often found necessary in taking up considerable slack in the wires, the barbs usually being about six inches apart.

Notwithstanding the mortises prevent any binding of the Wires in the posts in the opera tion of tightening the wires, yet the friction of the wires in the posts would necessarily produce considerable strain on the post in the direction of the pulling force on the wires. As a means whereby the post may be braced against such strain it is formed with alug 13 at its upper end on each side, so 'that a prop 14, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1,) placed against the lug and driven into the ground, will resist the strain upon the post caused by tightening the wires. This prop can be used on either side of the post as may be required in tightening the wires from either end of the fence, and it will be understood that such linetightening is usually done between posts. For reinforcing the seating and holding of the post in the stand-block lugs 15 15 may be formed on the taper end of the post between its end and the mortise 5, so that in the seating of the post these lugs rest on the block and cooperate with the post-mortise 5, the mortise in the block, and with the cement filling in the post-hole to give a firm centeringsupport to the post, as seen in Figs. 3 and 4. The centering stand-block is preferably of wood, but may be of iron, with a collar 2 around its centering-mortise, as in Fig. 7. lf of wood, the thickness of the block should be suiiicient to form a socket deep enough to give its Walls a hold upon the angular point of the post, so that it stands erect and needs no one to hold it while the post-hole is being filled with cement; but the stand-plate may also have the function of an anchor to the post, and for this purpose the point of the post maybe formed with aprojection or shoulder 16 and the stand-plate with a circular mortise formed with a notch 17 to receive the post projection and allow it to pass through and below the mortise and then to be turned to its proper seat, thereby engaging the post projection with the under side of the standplate, locking the post down as well as in a vertical position, as in Figs. 1, 2, and 6.

Obviously the erection of the posts in postholes and subsequently filling the holes with plasticcement to harden around the posts is better, cheaper, and more durable and gives greater rmness'to-the post than is possible withaposthavingahard molded base on it and which for protection against breakage must be provided with a metal casing or jacket.

Should the filling of the post-hole with the plastic cement put the post out of true vertical position, it can be pushed to correct any around the post at the time of setting it, ren-` ders the key a permanent part of the iixed body of the cement setting and is a very cheap way of forming a permanent anchor age for the post that cannot be obtained by anchors embedded in the earth.

A fence which the farmer with the aid of a farm hand can erect cheaply and quickly and with posts obtained in the trade is a big gain in erecting fencing, and the planting of posts so that they are permanent by the use of plastic cement is a new conception in obtain ing permanentlyset posts.

Referring to Figs. 3 and fl, it will be noted that the aperture in the base-block is tapered, the walls flaring upward, and that these walls form seats for the taper end of the post between the shoulders. This construction gives a seating for the post which reinforces the shoulders l5 in preventing the breaking and separation of the cement look in the mortise 5 from the plastic body which is poured into the post-hole and hardens around the fiat tapered end of the post. This cement lock is like that which would result in a very effective degree like a metal strap passed through the mortise and fastened at each end to the base-block on each side of the post. It is also important to note that as the post is a single fiat bar this cement lock extends solidly through the bar and forms a solid part therewith.

In a fencepost and in combination with a basesblock having a tapered aperture enlooked and centered Within and to the body Io of the plastic cement above the base-block.

In testimony whereofv I afx mysgnature in presence of two Witnesses.

EZEKIEL WHEELER.

Witnesses:

A. E. H. JOHNSON, JOHN E. BURoH. 

